Impure oil reclaimer



May 10, 1932. E. H. LAMBERT ET AL IMPURE OIL RECLAIMER Filed March 26. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l May 10, 1932. E. H. LAMBERT ET AL IMPURE OIL RECLAIMER Filed March 26. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y l932 E. H. LAMBERT ET AL 1,857,461

IMPURE OIL RECLAIMER Filed March 26. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patente May 10, E932 STATES PATENT OFFICE EDMOND H. LAMBERT, OF PIEDMONT, CALIFORNIA, AND RALTH I4: SKIN'NER, ERIC GEERTZ, AND PAUL WILLIAMS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS TO SKINNER AUTOMOTIVE DEVICE 00., INC., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF CALI- FORNIA IMIEURE OIL REGLAIMER Application filed March 26, 1928. Serial No. 264,716.

The present invention relates to appliances for purifying or reclaiming used or contaminated lubricating oil by the removal there from of gaseous, liquid and solid polluting ingredients, thereby again rendering the oil suitable for further use in motor-vehicle engines, one leading object of the invention being to supply an apparatus of this character which will accomplish the specified results in a safe, economical, efficient and automatic manner.

Stated in a somewhat different manner, one leading purpose of the oil reclaimer or rectifier is to salvage or reclaim the oil drained from the crank-cases of engines used in motor-cars, tractors, etc., by the removal of end points of fuel, water, sludge, carbon, acid, and abrasives, therebyreclaiming the oil and giving it the viscosity and lubricating qualities similar to the original trade stock oil.

To enable those acquainted with this art to fully understand the invention and its various advantages, a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout the views of which like reference characters have been employed to designate the same parts.

In these drawings: I

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the greater portion of the apparaf Figure 1a is a similar view ofthe remain- I der of the appliance;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the rectifier proper of the reclaiming appliance;

Figure 3 is a section on'line 33 of Figure 2 illustrating the thermostat for controlling the electric circuit;

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation of the thermostatic appliance partly in section controlling the inflow of oil to the rectifier;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on line 55 of Figure 4; and i Figure 6 is a more or less diagrammatic view of the electrical connections of the system. i

Referring to these drawings, it will be peri ceived that the apparatus includes a suitable tank or barrel 21 containing a substantially smaller inner compartment or tank 22 fitted at its top with a removable cover 23 and pro vided around its bottom with a plurality of apertures or holes 24 by means of which its contents can gradually drain into the outer receptacle 21 without disturbing the sediment therein in any material degree.

The dirty impure oil to be rectified or purified is poured into the inner container 22 from which it flows into the outer vessel 21,

-wherein the sediment 25 settles to the bottom,

the sediment 31 being drawn off occasionally as circumstances dictate through a similar valve-fitted drain-pipe 32.

A hollow, metal fioat 33 rides on the top of the clear oil 34, and carries ascreen or strainer 35 partly submerged in the oil, such element constituting the inlet to a flexible pipe or hose 36 joined to a pipe 37 connected to the interior of a straining'tank 38 outside of a cylindrical screen 39 of appropriatemesh,

the inside of the screen being connected by a conduit 41 and a glass sight-gauge 42- to a pipe 43 supplied with a ball-check valve 44.

Pipe 43 connects through the lower portion of the wall of an upright, cylindrical condenser 45 equipped with a number of spaced, vertical tubes 46 extended through upper and lower division walls 47 and 48' respectively, the pipe 43 joining the condenser shell at a point above-the wall 48, the upper part of the space around the tubes being connected by a pipe 49 to the bottom end of a heat-insulated preheater 51. Thus, the impure oil passing throu h the condenser and aroundthe pipes or tu cs 46 lends its cooling and condensing influence on the contents of the latter.

As is clearly shown, the preheater has a number of open-ended, upright tubes 52 exwaded through top and bottom division wins 53 and 54, the oil entering the preheaterthrough the conduit 49 flowing upwardly through such tubes and leaving the top of the .heater through a. pipe 55 which connects with another screenin device 56, joined by a pipe 57 to the side a thermostatic valve structure, characterized as a whole 58,-mou'nt ed on the underside-of the bottom wall of a heated rectifier 59.

The appliance 58, as shown more fullgiifi Figures 4 and 5, has a chamber 61 with w the pipe 57 communicates, and such chamber 1 is-traversed by an adjustable, screw-threaded rod 62 extended out through a stu'fling-box 63 with its protruding end fitted with a stem and bearing at its lower end on the head of the valve and pressing at its upper end on the shoulder of a cavity 71 accommodating it in a block 72 mounted on the member 58.

, As is fully depicted, the stem ofthe valve extends through the block and central apertures in a .plurality of curved,'.reverselyarched, bi-metal, thermostatic. members 73,

'its extreme upper end carrying abutment or sto nuts 74.

will be noted, these thermostatic ele.-

' ments are inside of the rectifier and their rounded, end portions bearing on one another are slotted and are guided in'their movements by a pair of upstanding, stationary pins 75 occupying such slots.

The space 76 above the valve. 68 is supplied with an inclined, discharge pipe 77 toeliver the oil into the reclaimer in such direction when the valve is opened by the multiple thermostat against the closing tendency of the spring.

The rectifier 59 comprises ran outer hous ing 78, an inner casing 79, an electric-heater 81 around the lower portion of the latter,

. an air-jacket shell 82 around the heater,

suitable heat-insulating material between the members 78, 79 and 82, an appropriately supported, hollow, cylindrical, baffle 83 inside of casing 79, and an oil-deliver over-- flow pipe 84 extended up through the baflle member and having an open top end, through which the oilmay drain when it reaches such height;

By'meansdescrib'ed hereinafter, a partial vacuum is maintained in the receptacle 79 by suction applied through a pipe 114. connected to the top of such container and extended and also conve g awa out through the top of the housing, such suction 'drawin the oil into the rectifier through the pipingsystem already described the vapors and gases: driven o from t e oil undergoing treatment.

The oil in the rectifier-is -a tated and aerated bya smallquantity of ot air admitted to the apparatus, thereby facilitating the distillation o eration-and assisting in maintainin a uni orm temperaturethroughout theb y of oil.

I To this end, an inlet-pipe85 admits outside air. into; the lower portion of the air-jacket chamber 82, wherein it becomes duly heated by the action of the adjacent electric-heater 81, 'such heated air leaving the upper part of thechamber through a discharge pipe 86 fitted with a control or regulating valve 87 and a check-valve 88.

Such pipe communicates with'the lower part-of the chamber 79, so that the 'air drawn through the jacket and pipe-by the partial vacuum in the receptacle 79 enters the latter and in passing upwardly suitably aerates and agitates the oil, the check-valve preventing the oil from flowing into the air-j acket' upon cessation of the application of suction to'the rectifier. 1

' By reason of suction created by a vacuumpurified oil, freed from its gasifiable and vaporizable contaminating ingredients, such as gasolene and water, by reason of the heat apthe tubes 52, where it imparts the greater.

portion of its heat to the incoming cooler oil flowing upwardly through such tubes,the thus cooled oil leaving the space -specified through a pipe 94 which connects with a ipe pump 91 driven by an electric-motor 92, the

95,- supplied with a check-valve 96, lea ing to the pump, the latter delivering the oil through a pipe 97 intothe top of an upright mttling tank 98 having a sediment dramcock 99 at its bottom and having near its top an oil overflow pipe 101 .equippe ith a honzontally-oscillatory nozzle 102, w ich is designed -to discharge. the oil selectively intoeither of two sets 103, 104' of superposed filters, so that either group may be in operation while .the other is having its filter material renewed or replaced.

Each of the superposed filter pans of each group comprises a downwardly-tapered tray or receptacle 105 with an o n-work screen or reticulated bottom on w ich a suitable filter-pad 106 rests, so that the oil delivered to the uppermost tray of the oup is filtered through the successive under ying trays and is discharged from the lowermost one into a shallow funnel 107 from which a drain pipe 108 conveys the filtered, rectified oil into a suitable receptacle 109, such as a barrel or the like.

The filter trays are made with converging side-walls so that as the sheet. of filter material, such as wood pulp, is forced down into place, it will be condensed or pressed sufficiently to 'nsure a tight contact with the tray sides, thus necessitating the oil to pass through the filter pad without danger of leakage around its margin.

If desired or required, the interior of the chamber 111 containing the filtering means may be maintained at a suitable temperature by means of one or more' electric-heaters 112.

Reverting to the pump, it secures its supply of oil for an oil seal and for lubrication purposes, particularly during the initial warming-up period of the still or rectifier 59, from the upper part of the settling tank 98 by means of a pipe 113 appropriately connected to the pump and dipping into the clear oil in the top of the tank, as is fully illustrated. The gases, vapors. and air in the rectifier 59 are drawn off by the suction created by the pump 91 through the pipe 114 joined to the top of the chamber or compartment 79 and delivered into the top of the condenser 45 where allof the liquifiable constituents of the -mixture are condensed as they are drawn down through the tubes 46 surrounded by the incoming cold oil, the gases, principally air, not condensed, being drawn or sucked into the pump through a pipe 115 connected to the pipe 915 and delivered through the pump with t ed Conduit 114 may conveniently be fitted with a vacuum-gauge 116 which will indi cate the operating condition of the pump and the degree of suction in the system.

The lower end of the condenser is connected to an automatic separator and intermittent drain 117 similar to the well-known vacuum fuel-feed tank commonly used on automobiles and whose use in connection with oil is shown in United States Patent.1,650,77 5, thus requiring no further description except to state that it has a baflle 11 8, and its float and valves deliver the stored condensate, mostly gasoline, kerosene. water, etc., from time to time into a container 119, the noncondensed vapors and gases, principally if not entirelyair, flowing on into the pump as specified.

The electrical system comprises the three power lines- 121, 122, 123 connected to terminals 124 of a three-blade switch 125, 126, 127 housed in a convenient casing 128, the switch being normally retracted or opened by a spring 129 but capable of being moved to and maintained in closed-\relation by a solenoid 131.

Terminals 132, 133 of the switch are connected through fuses 135, 135 to the electricheaters 81 and 112 so that whenever and so lon r only as the switch is closed the heaters will be in operation.

Terminals 132, 133 and 134 through leads 136, 137 and 138 and appropriate fuses are joined to the electric-motor 92. v

A; starting-switch 139 in a housing 141 has one terminal 142 connected by a wire 143 to one of the switch terminals 124, its comconnected together temporarily by the blade- Switch 139 has another pair of contacts 151, 152, the former electrically connected to the contact 144 by a wire 153, and the latter joined by a conductor 154 to the terminal 133 of the triple switch, switch 139 having a second blade 155 co-actlng with the contacts 151, 152.

The two blades 149 and 155 are mechanically connected together-and are adapted to be depressed manually and to move in the opposite direction under the action of spring 156.

To start the motor and electric-heaters and leave their continued operation to the control of the thermostatic switch 146, the action of which is subject to the temperature of the oil in the distillation or rectifying chamber 79, the operator momentarily depresses the double switch 149155, thereby closing the circuit 122,124, 143, 142, 149, 144, 145-, 146, 147, 131, 148, 124, 121 and causing the energization of the solenoid which thereupon closes the triple switch 125,126,127 and completes the circuits of both the motor and the heaters.

As soon as this occurs the operator releases the switch 149, 155 causing the opening of the switch 149 and the closing of switch 155 in series with the middle blade 126 of the triple switch,-whereby. when the latter switch opens, it will completely and adequately open the solenoid circuit.

If the temperature of the oil in the rectifier becomes excessive because of the lack or retardation of feed of incoming oil thereto, or for any other reason, the switch 146 will automatically open the circuitof the solenoid, causing its deenergization-and the automatic opening of switch 125, 126 and 127, thus throwing the motor and heaters out of action.

It will be understood, therefore, that when the supplyof impure oil to be reclaimed runs i 4 .From the foregoing, it will be plain that the impure oil to be treated is permitted to settle, whereupon it is screened, and heated by condensin the liquefiabl'e constituents of the treated mixture, and-thenit is further heated in the preheater, by the hot treated oil,

preliminary to passing into the still or rectifier, where it is aerated, heated and subjected to sub-atmospheric pressure resulting in freeing it from all gasifiable and vaporlzable'contaminating or polluting ingredients, the gases the-oil through the system and causes the needed suction through the ap liance, but also pumps the freed unliquefia le air with the oil'into the settling tank preliminary to the oil overflowing into the filters.

Hence the three products ofthe apparatus I are the purified, filtered oil free from liquid and mechanical impurities, air, andthe condensate.

When the apparatus isfirst started, I the chamber 79 contains cold oil up to the level of the top end of the overflow pipe 84, from the preceding operation of the appliance, and valve 68 is closed.

When such oil becomes properly heated for purifying purposes, the valve 68 is opened by the multiple thermostat against the action ,of spring 69, allowing a small quantity of oil to enter until the thermostat again permits the spring to close the valve, and the more or less intermittent, and later possibly the continuous, opening of the switch allows the in- I feed of oil in correct quantity to assure that all of it will be properly and adequately heated.

, When-the supply of oil becomes exhausted, the temperature of the oil in the still rises enough to cause the thermostat 146 to open the solenoid circuit, whereupon the triple switch opens, thus ending the supply of electrical current to the motor and heaters, the

pump of gourse ceasing operation.

In this way the action of the apparatus is wholly automatic to close down the operation upon exhaustion of the supply of oil to be treated.

From what precedes, it will be understood that undesirable liquid constituents 'of used lubricating oil, such as acid, heavy unburned fractions of fuel and water are removed by evaporation which is possible because the wa-. ter and end points of fuel found in used motor oil have lower boiling points than the oil itself.-

Evaporation or distillation is effected by applying heat to theliquid while under vacuum, and at the same time aerating it, the effect of the vacuum being to reduce the boiling point ofthe liquid and the agitation by the air currents increases the efiective surface of evaporation.

Complete evaporation is produced at temperatures lower than the boiling point of the oil making etficient operation possible at a safe temperature, no oil of course being ,dis-' tilled or vaporized.

i The result of the removal of liquid dilutio and of water from the oil istorestore the bod and viscosity to the oil, reducing the aci ity and lessening the tendency to emulsify with water.

. The removal of solid contamination is accomplished by filtration and the conditions under which the filtering occurs are ideal after the oil leaves the rectifying apparatus since all water which might tend to clog up the filtering. medium has been removed and because the high temperature at which the oil is delivered to the filter gives it a low viscosity. 1

Hence solid matter is easily separated from the oil while in this condition and the oil itself will pass through an extremely fine filter medium at a rate of flow that is practical for commercial operations.

The treatment of the oil is by a continuous process, taking used impure oil from a container, purifying it as it passes through the units of the reclaiming. apparatus, and delivering it to the clean oil receiver. The form of thermostat controlling the in flow of impure oil into the re'ctifier is not our joint invention and constitutes the subjectmatter of another patent application of Ralph L. Skinner, Serial No. 280,737, filed May 26th, 1928. Y

We claim:

1. In an oil reclaimer, the combination of an oil rectifier, means to admit oil to said rectifier, means to heat the oil in said rectifier, means to admit air into said rectifier to aerate and agitate the oil therein, means toheat said air by said heating means preliminary to its aeration of said oil, and means to apply suction to said rectifier to withdraw the gases and vapors from said rectifier and to maintain said rectifier at a sub-atmospheric pressure.

2. In an oil reclaimer, the combination of an oil-rectifying chamber, means to admit oil-aerating air into said chamber, means to heat the contents of said chamber and to heat said air before its admission into said chamber, a condenser, a preheater, means to conduct impure oil through said condenser and preheater into said chamber, means to deliver the condensate automatically from said condenser, thermostatic means automatically governing the flow of such impure'oil into said chamber by the temperature of the oil in said chamber, a pump, means to operate said pump, a connection to permit said pump to suck the gases and vapors from said cham-. ber through said condenser, a connection to heater automatically upon the occurrence of a predetermined temperature of the oil in said chamber.

3. In an oil reclaimer, the combination of an oil-rectifying chamber, means to admit oil-aerating air into said chamber, means to heat the contents of said chamber and to heat said air before its admission into said cham ber, a condenser, a preheater, means to conduct impure oil through said condenser and preheater into said chamber, thermostatic means automatically governing the flow of such impure oil into said chamber by the temperature of the oil in said chamber, a pump, means to operate said pump, a connection to permit said pump to suck the gases and vapors from said chamber through said condenser, a connection to permit said pump to feed the purified hot oil from said chamber through said preheater, and means to deliver the condensate automatically from said condenser.

4. In an oil reclaimer, the combination of an oil-rectifying chamber, means to supply oil-aerating air to said chamber, means to heat the contents ofsaid chamber, a condenser, a preheater, means to conduct impure oil through said condenser and preheater into said chamber, thermostatic means automatically governing the flow of such impure oil into said chamber by the temperature of the oil in said chamber, a pump, means to operate said pump, a connection to permit said pump to suck the gases and vapors from said chamber through said condenser and to draw the impure oil into said rectifying chamber through said condenser and preheater, a conpreheater and to deliver it at atmospheric pressure during the continued application of said suction, and means to deliver the condensate automatically from said condenser.

5. In an oil reclaimer the combination of an oil-rectifying chamber, means to heat the contents of said chamber, a condenser, a preheater, means to conduct impure oil through said condenser and preheate-r into said chamber, thermostatic means automatically governing the flow of such impure oil into said chamber by the temperature of the oil in said chamber, a pump, means tooperate said pump, a connection to permit said pump to suck the gases and vapors from said chamber through said condenser and to draw the impure oil into said rectifying chamber through said condenser and preheater, a connection to permit said pump to feed the purified hot oil from said chamber through said preheater and to deliver it at atmospheric pressure durand means to deliver the condensate automatically' from said condenser.

6. In an oil reclaimer, the combination of an oil-rectifying chamber, means to heat the oil in said chamber, means to admit impure oil into said chamber, a pump to apply suction to said chamber, means to operate said pump, means to deliver the rectified oil from said chamber, and thermostatic means to stop the operation of said heating means and said pump-operating means upon the occurrence of a predetermined temperature of the oil in said chamber.

7. In an oil-reclaimer, the combination of an oil-rectifier, electric means to heat said rectifier, a filter, electric means to heat said filter, a pump to cause the impure oil to flow through said rectifier and to be delivered to said filter, an electric-motor to operate said pump, and means to break the electric circuits ofboth of said heating means and said motor upon the occurrence of a predetermined temperature of the oil in said rectifier.

8. In an oil-reclaimer, the combination of an oil-rectifying chamber, means to supply oil-aerating air to said chamber, means to heat the contents of said chamber, a condenser, means to conductimpure oil through said condenser into said chamber, thermostatic, means automatically governing the flow of such impure oil into said chamber by the temperature of the oil in said chamber, a pump, means to operatesaid pump, a connection to permit said pump to suck the,gases and vapors from said chamber through said condenser and to draw impure oil into said rectifying-chamber through said condenser and to deliver the purified oil at atmospheric pressure during the continued application of said suction, and means to deliver the condensate automatically from said condenser.

9. In an oil-reclaimer, the combination of an oil-rectifying chamber, means to admit the actuation of said pump-operating means upon the occurrence of a predetermined temperature of the oil in said chamber.

In witness whereof we have, hereunto set our hands.

. EDMOND H. LAMBERT.

RALPH L. SKINNER. ERIC GEERTZ. PAUL WILLIAMS? 

